Eurail Select Pass

By Rick Steves

Are Eurail Select Passes generally a good value?

The Select Pass is often a good value, and lets travelers customize their pass for a multi-country trip. Choose four of the countries connected by a direct line in the diagram at right (the Select Pass does not cover Great Britain or Poland). Some countries are grouped to count as one country for the sake of this pass: “Benelux” (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), Croatia/Slovenia, and Serbia/Montenegro.

How do I see whether a Select Pass makes sense for my trip in particular?

Use these maps to add up approximate pay-as-you-go fares for your itinerary, and compare that cost to the price of a rail pass for the number of days you expect to spend on the train and for the specific countries you’re visiting (Select Pass prices vary according to which countries you choose). Also, follow the links below for:

What are my options for a Select Pass?

You can get a pass for any of the four Select Pass countries shown above, for either 5, 6, 8, or 10 travel days within a two-month window.

Select Passes now come in three price tiers according to which four countries you choose. Choosing at least two of the five most popular countries for this pass (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland) will most likely land you in the highest price tier. While the lowest price tier is indeed quite low — about 60 percent less than the highest price tier — that’s only available to travelers choosing either all four of the least popular pass options (Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia & Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia & Croatia, and Turkey) or three of them and one mid-range country.

How does the Select Pass compare to other multi-country passes?

European East Pass: This four-country pass is much cheaper than the Select Pass for the same countries; it covers train travel in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia (albeit within a one-month window, whereas the Select Pass allows a two-month window), and also allows adults, not just youths, to save even more by opting for second class.

Scandinavia Eurail Pass: This four-country pass is cheaper than the Select Pass for the same countries; it covers train travel in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden (albeit in second class, whereas the Select Pass isn’t available in second class to anyone 26 or older — but second class on Scandinavian trains is as comfortable as first class on southern European trains).

Eurail Global Pass: The price difference between the highest-priced Select Pass and a 24-country Global Pass is about $10 per day. If you expect to cover lots of ground and want to keep your options open, you may prefer to pay a little extra for the full-blown Global Pass.

What does the Select Pass cover?

While the Select Pass covers the full cost of your ticket on the overwhelming majority of trains in your selected countries, plus a range of non-train “bonuses,” it’s important to know what’s not covered:

A few privately operated routes (listed on each country’s page — see list of countries in sidebar)

What if I wind up on a train traveling through a country not covered by my pass?

If your train crosses through a country not covered by your rail pass, you must buy a separate train ticket for that stretch (even if you have no plans of getting off the train in that country). Get your ticket before boarding, to avoid the extra fee (or possibly a heavier fine) for purchasing the ticket on board. Online train schedules show the route of each train, including connection points and stops on the way. Examples of routes to consider:

Paris–Italy trains: Direct day trains on this route (unlike the direct night trains) do accept rail passes, but the “reservation fee” is substantial, and can sell out quickly. See my tips for booking Paris–Italy trains.

Munich–Venice: If Austria isn’t included among your four countries, it costs about $25 extra to cross through Austria on this route (in second class; about $40 in first class).

Budapest–Prague: If Slovakia isn’t included among your four countries, it costs about $30 extra to get a point-to-point ticket to cross through Slovakia on this route (in second class).

Between Greece or Turkey and...anywhere: Greece is currently connected by train only to Serbia and Bulgaria; Turkey is connected by train to Bulgaria, but service is sparse. Flying is the best way to reach Athens, Thessaloniki, or Istanbul from any major city in Europe. Ferries also connect Greece to Italy and Turkey. Within Greece and Turkey, buses are generally your best option for getting around (but they aren’t covered by rail passes).

Fine print worth reading

Second-class Select Passes can only be used by travelers under 26; travelers age 26 or older must buy a first-class pass.

Up to two kids age 4–11 travel free with each adult on any Eurail-brand pass; additional kids pay the youth pass rate, and kids under 4 ride for free.

All orders are fulfilled by Rail Europe. Rates given are for online orders to be shipped within the US (phone orders cost more). For customer-service questions, see their help page or call 800-622-8600; to track your shipment, see here.